1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vaginal suppositories. More particularly, this invention relates to a vaginal suppository comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) and a hard fat with a hydroxyl value not exceeding 50.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of DHAS promote maturation of the uterine cervix at late pregnancy and enhance the responsiveness of uterine smooth muscle to oxytocin and clinically injections containing its sodium salt have been used as drugs of choice in ante-partum indications in Japan (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,005,200 and 4,061,744).
The object of the present invention is to provide a vaginal suppository which is suitable for administration by the intravaginal route, which is relatively expedient, and which has a long shelf life.
The inventor's exploratory evaluation of various lipophilic bases and hydrophilic bases for possible use as the base in vaginal suppositories containing a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of DHAS has shown that a vaginal suppository manufactured by using a hard fat having a hydroxyl value not exceeding 50 has a long shelf life and produces a marked improvement in the ante-partum condition of pregnant women. The present invention is predicated on the above finding.